Adjustable recli n ing-ch



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(N0 Model.)

W. J. MADDOX.

ADJUSTABLE REGLINING 0mm.

N0. 320,265. Patented June 16, 1885.

WITNESSES $.44 Attorney;

N. PETERS. PhnlwLKhognpbur, Washmgion, D. C.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. J. MADDOX.

ADJUSTABLE REGLINING CHAIR. No. 320,265. Patented June 16, 1885.

I It "HI WITNESSES JJVVEJVTOR flttorneyo Unwrap STATES ATENT tries.

\VILLIAM J. MADDOX, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

ADJUSTABLE RECLlNlNG-CHAIR.

Application filed October 23, 1884.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J. l\L .DDOX, of Scranton, in the county of Lackawannaand State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Reclining-Chairs; and I do hereby declare the following to be afnll, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

M y present invention relates more especially to the means employed for maintaining and sustaining the seat and back of a chair upon the main frame or standard thereof, whereby the back can readily be adjusted at various inclinations with respect to the seat; and it consists in the several novel and useful features and combinations of parts, as hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a chair, illustrating the application of my invention. Fig. 2 is asimilar view showing the back down and a foot-rest applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 1 l of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail illustrating the supporting and adjusting mechanism, the frame-work being omitted. Fig. 5 is a detail showing the construction of the hinged arm used for a heel-rest.

Similar letters of reference in thesevel'al figures indicate like parts.

The letter A designates the main frame, standard, or support,which, as shown,is mounted upon rockers a, but may, if desired be sns tained upon legs in the ordinary manner, and is provided with arms a.

The seat 0 is suspended at or near its front edge upon a link, 0, pivoted to the main frame, and at its rear edge is hinged to the lower end of the back B, the seat and back being both pivotally connected to the arms a, at or near the rear ends thereof, by brackets or hangers Z). These brackets I), preferably of metal, resemble bell-crank levers, the two arms b 1/ being firmly attached to the back B by screws or equivalent means, and pivoted at or near the point of intersection to the arms a. The lower arm, If, is preferably provided with a projecting portion or extension, I)", for the re JZE'ICATION forming part: of Letters Patent No, 320,265, dated June 16, 1885.

(No model.)

ception of the pivot connecting the seat to the back, said pivot consisting of a long red passing through the extensions 11" and the ears or straps c fastened to the seat; or, if desired, shorter pivots or other forms of hinge-joints may be employed at this point.

As thus constructed and arranged, it will be observed that both the back and seat are wholly suspended at one end upon the bracket b and at the other upon the link 0, and asthus suspended and connected when the seat is pressed forward the back will be depressed, and vice versa.

In order to properly distribute theweight of the person sitting on the chair, toinsu re greater stability and facilitate the adjustment of the parts, the pivots of the link 0 are so arranged with respect to each other (the frame andseat) as that when the back is in the vertical position, as shown in Fig. 1, thepivot on theframe shall be forward of the pivot on the chair; hence when a weightisapplicd to the seat the tendency will be to move the latter backward, but this tendency is counteracted by the arrangement of the pivots connecting the brackets I) to the arms in front of the pivots uniting the seat and back, the angle maintained by the pivots of the bracket b being greater than that of the pivots of the link 0; hence there will be a slight tendency to move the seat forward sufficient to insure the proper action of the locking mechanism, but not so great as to prevent the *asy action of the adjusting devices.

\Vhcn, now, it is desired to change the angle of the back with respect to the seat or to bring the former down into substantially the same plane as the seat, as shown in Fig. 2, the back pressed down or the scat drawn forward, in either of which cases both parts are moved simultaneously into position. As the seat is carried forward, it moves downward slightly with the link 0, and its rear edge is correspondingl y depressed by reason of the radial move ment of the hanger I), thus avoiding the tilting of the seat, and at the same time, by virtue of the relative arrangement of the pivots, maintaini ng the desired amount of forward pressure.

It is of course necessary that some appropriate and convenient form of clamping or holding mechanism be employed for adjusting and maintaining the parts in their adjusted positions; and while, as is obvious, other forms might be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention as thus far described, I prefer to use the adjusting mechanism arranged, adapted, and applied as follows: Upon either or preferably both sides of the seat are arranged toothed plates or bars D, pivoted at or near their forward ends to the side pieces of the main frame. On the sides of the seat near the rear end, and preferably attached to the straps c, are arranged lugs or teeth D, which engage the teeth of the bars D, and thus sustain the forward thrust of the seat and hold the latter in its adjusted position. As thus arranged it will be observed that the weight of the body will be sufficient at all points of adjustment to maintain the lugs D in engagement with the teeth on the bars, thus preventing the accidental or intentional lowering of the back without first raising the bars D, and at the same time permitting the back to be raised whenever desired.

In order to facilitate the operation of raising the bars D for the purpose of adjustment, each of the latter is provided with a stud or projection, (1, extending below the seat, with which a hand-lever, E, is arranged to co operate; and to insure the simultaneous raising of both bars D, and from either side of the chair, the levers E are connected together at their inner ends,-and each pivoted to the main frame, so that when one is raised the other partakes of the same motion, and both bars D are elevated.

The seat 0 is provided with a slide, F, which can be drawn out when desired, thus forming a convenient foot-rest.

The arms a, which are preferably attached to the stationary main frame,are divided horizontally and hinged together at the front, so that when desired the upper half can be turned over, thus forming a heel-rest that may be employed when the chair is used for surgical operations, 'or when the occupant wishes to recline with his feet elevated. In order to obtain a firm bearing, the end 9 of the upper half is made to fit under the part 9, when swung down.

It will be readily understood that the adjustable back and seat described can be applied to spring rocking-chai rs, office-chairs, reclining chairs for railroadcars, and, in fact, can be applied to any suitable base or support.

I am aware that it has been proposed to construct a seat for railway-cars in three sections hinged together, the two end sections forming the seat and head-rest, respectively, and connected by links with the main frame, and the central section provided with triangular brackets pivoted upon rods adapted to move up and down in slots in the standards of the chair and rest upon springs therein; but such a construction not only differs from mine in several essential features, but is not capable of the same adjustments. For instance, in mine the brackets connected to the back are hung upon pivots on the main frame, which remain stationary at all times, and when the back is moved downwardly andthe occupant wished to recline, the seat remains nearly at the same level all the time; but in the above-mentioned car-seat, when the back is depressed the pivot of the back moves forward and downward and the level of the seat is changed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to. secure by Letters Patent, is 7 if 1. In combination with the main frame, the brackets pivoted thereto and fastened to the back, the seat hinged to the back,- and the link pivoted to the seat and to the main frame, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the main frame, the brackets pivoted thereto and fastened to the back, the seat hinged to the back and to the link pivoted to the frame, and alocking mechanism for sustaining the seat and back against forward thrusts, substantially as described.

3. In combination with the main frame, the

brackets pivoted thereto and fastened to the back, the seat hinged to the lower arm of the bracket, and the links pivoted to the seat and to the frame below the seat, substantially as described.

4. In combination with the main frame and the back and seat, the latter hinged together and supported at one end by the bracket b and at the other by'the link 0, and the toothed bars pivoted to the main frame and arranged to engage the lugs attached to the seat, substantially as described.

5. I11 combination with the movable seat 0, provided with the lugs D, the pivoted bars D,-located on either side of the seat and provided with projections d, for engagement with lifting-levers, substantially as described,

6. In combination with the movable seat, its lugs D, and locking-bars D, the two lifting-levers engaging the bars D, connected at their inner ends, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In an adjustable reclining-chair, and in combination with the main frame thereof, a seat supported at one end upon a link pivoted to the main frame and hinged at the rear end to the back, and a bracket or hanger attached to the back and pivoted to the main frame in advance of the point of attachment to the seat, substanticlly as described. I

S. In combination with the main frame, the bifurcated brackets or hangers b, attached to the back and provided with extensions b the seat provided with straps c, the pivots, and the links 0, supporting the forward end of the seat, substantially as described.

W'ILLIAM J. MADDOX.

' WVitnesscs:

J. M. Poona, E. F. BOYLE. 

